Deceptive politics behind JD(U)-BJP face off?

An impression is sought to be created that the JD (U) was opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s attempts at making Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial nominee for the next Parliamentary poll.

Matters have got further complicated with some BJP leaders attacking Nitish Kumar and questioning his credentials while the Bihar chief Minister is also contributing to the confusion by his remarks.

First of all it is not the business of any political party to tell another political outfit even if it is an ally on who should be their leader. Secondly, Narendra Modi is not the BJP nominee as yet and may never be. Thirdly, even if he was the BJP candidate, the JD (U) has to assess its alliance with the saffron party in totality and not merely on the basis of one leader’s projection. Fourthly, the JD (U) needs the BJP in Bihar as much as the BJP needs the JD (U) for improving its electoral prospects.

So the question, which arises, is that why is there a public confrontation between these two parties. There may be many theories but a possible one, which is also plausible, is that the inner factional fight within the BJP is finding reflection in how the JD (U) is trying to set the agenda for its ally.

The BJP response so far has been feeble because many within the BJP do not want Modi to be the Prime Ministerial nominee and since they are scared to say so in public are expressing themselves through their ally. Significantly, a debate to bring back LK Advani into consideration for the top job has also started.

Obviously all this is being done to scuttle moves to have Modi for the top job. The Gujarat strongman perhaps realizes this and has thus suddenly withdrawn himself into a shell. He perhaps knows that in Delhi’s power politics, it is better to maintain total silence.

At another level, the JD (U)’s move to make BJP declare its prime ministerial nominee ahead of the polls is finding a reflection also in UPA’s politics, NCP superemo Sharad Pawar recently stated that he was going to ask the UPA chairperson to convene a meeting of the allies to discuss who would be projected as the coalition’s face for the next polls.

There is certainly a co-relation in what is happening both in the NDA and the UPA since in both cases, junior partners are aiming to dictate terms to senior partners. In NDA’s case, the BJP is facing an internal faction fight while in the case of Congress, the leadership is not as strong as it was in 2004 and 2009.

In any case, with Parliament reconvening next week, there is going to be a lot of politics. More politics will follow the Karnataka elections. Therefore it is going to be a season of politics.